Choice Gold Hospitality Award

Hotels that achieve the prestigious Gold Award represent the top 10% of hotels within each Choice brand. The awards are based on a ranking system that measures guest satisfaction, product quality, room condition and cleanliness, and staff service. These properties have a proven track record of providing exceptional guest service and facilities.

Green Hotel

Supports Green Practices

"Supports Green Initiatives" designates a hotel's participation in an optional environmental program that includes the use of energy-efficient lighting, guestroom towel/linen re-use, and on-premise recycling. "Supports Green Initiatives" does not represent an official certification of any kind.

Outdoor Activities

America's favorite Stone Age family comes to life at this fun park/family campground. Kids can play in Flintstone-themed buildings and parks, tour Fred's Bedrock City, ride the Flintmobile, view Mount Rockmore, dine on Brontoburgers and watch the Flintstone Trio Show. The campground overlooks the park. The full-service facility allows you to pitch a tent or park a luxury RV. Showers, laundry facilities, a heated swimming pool and camping cabins are also available. Park admission is $6 per person; children 5 and younger are free. Camping fees vary.

This world-famous mountain carving by sculptor Gutzon Borglum is one of the United State's most-beloved natural wonders. The 60-foot-tall faces of four of America's greatest presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, look down from their 500-foot mountaintop above the beautiful forests of the Black Hills. While Borglum had originally envisioned the sculpture to include the entire body of each president, budgetary and time concerns forced the sculptor to simply include the heads. The monument has met some controversy due to its location in Lakota land established during the Trety of Fort Laramie. The Avenue of Flags, sculptor's studio and Grandview Terrace, are great vantage points for taking in this marvel.

Known as the third-longest cave in the world, Jewel Cave has more than 122 miles of passages lined with glittering calcite crystals. Visitors can choose from three tours: the Scenic Tour ($8 per person) is a moderately strenuous, one-hour trek on a paved and lighted trail; the Historic Tour ($8) is a two-hour, strenuous trip through the cave lit only by candle lanterns; and, the Spelunking Tour is an extremely strenuous, four-hour exploration of an undeveloped portion of the cave. Check website for varying open hours.

Black Hills National Forest covers more than 1.25 million acres throughout South Dakota and Wyoming. President Grover Cleveland first created the Black Hills Forest Reserve in 1897, and then it was re-designated as a National Forest in 1907, after the creation of Forest Service. The Black Hills are the ancestral home of several different tribes of Native Americans including the Ponca, Cheyenne, Arapaho and Kiowa Apache, whose people have resided in the area for at least 10,000 years. The Black Hills National Forest also contains Mount Rushmore as well as the newer Crazy Horse Memorial. The forest contains hundreds of miles of trails for and 30 campgrounds as well as 11 reservoirs.

Primly situated in South Dakota, the Wild Cave National Park is a historical park site. It is actually a cave, namely the Wind Cave that was given the status of a national park. Touted to be one of the longest cave system around the globe, it is certainly worth a visit. You can avail the cave tours or simply check-out the displays at the on-site visitors center. For details, check website.

Black Hills National Forest is spread over 1.25 million acres (505,857 hectares) and is located in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. Trees like Ponderosa Pine, Aspen, Bur Oak, and Birch can be found here. Along with trees a lot of animals like elk, mule, deer, pronghorn and white-tailed deer can be seen here. There are more than 200 varieties of native and migratory birds. There are no vehicles permitted inside the forest and it is only accessible by foot.

This astounding park boasts the largest collection of live reptiles in the world, featuring everything from toads to salamanders. It also houses an impressive collection of tortoises, alligators and snakes. Visitors also enjoy a walk-through jungle, animal shows and 40 acres of landscaped grounds. USA Today named this family-attraction one of the “Top 10 Places To Stop the Car and Take A Look.” It is open from April 1-October 30. Admission is $10 for adults; $9.25 for seniors; $6 for children 6-12; free for children under 6.

This family-adventure cave features one of the widest varieties of crystal cave formations in the area. Rare amethyst, frost crystal, logomites, stalagmites and helectites draw visitors into the depths of this natural beauty. Two guided tours are available: the Adventure Tour ($8 adults; $5 children 6-12) is a one-hour tour of all three cave levels; the Crystal Tour ($7 adults; $4 children 6-12) is an easy half-hour stroll through the first level only. Cave temperature hovers around 48 degrees, so wear a light jacket. Children under 6 are free.